Memorable Nativity

Our ward Christmas party involved a nativity performed by the primary children.

 

 In my husband's words, 

"It was everything a children's nativity should be."

I'm sure he was referring to some of the twists on the normal themes of the season.

 Some of the more memorable moments included the innkeeper's scene.

The innkeeper's line was "You can use my stable." The stage directions told her to point to the stable. However, with only one very rushed rehearsal, we hadn't told her where the stable would be. So our darling innkeeper said, "You can use my stable...which is around here somewhere."

 The wisemen were solemn. The shepherds on the other hand...not so much. Two brothers who played shepherds decided to have a family feud. There was hitting and chasing - in the fields and in the stable. Their mother had to go up and restore peace more than once. The fact that the boys were the bishop's sons made it all the more amusing.

My favorite moment was when two little angels (CJ and her friend Clara) just couldn't contain their curiosity any longer and opened the wisemen gifts while the congregation sang "Joy to the World."

There were, of course, sweet moments too. Like watching Leasie help the younger angels and letting them sit on her lap. Or listening to Tman and Meya recite their narrator lines (Tman was particularly loud due to the fact that I bribed him with a lego set - yep, it's true. Meya required no bribing.) 

But it's the warring shepherds and pillaging angels that I will remember most.

This nativity was just what I needed to feel the Christmas spirit. It wasn't perfect. But it was a perfect reminder of something I constantly need to remind myself of:
Things don't always go as planned. But there is plenty of joy to be found in the unexpected twists and detours.